Ministerial Committee on MOPPICON Bill for inauguration April 8th

The Ministerial Committee aimed at fast-tracking the passage into law of the Motion Picture Practitioners Council of Nigeria (MOPPICON) Bill is to be inaugurated on Friday, April 8th 2016 at the Conference Room of the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, announced on Thursday.

The 17-member Committee, which will have Ms Peace Anyiam-Osigwe as Coordinator and Mr. Mahmoud Alli-Balogun as Deputy Coordinator, will review and harmonize the MOPPICON Bill ahead of its submission to the Ministry of Justice and then the National Assembly.

The membership of the Committee will include the representatives of the various guilds and associations, including the Association of Movie Producers, Director Guild of Nigeria, Motion Picture Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MOPPAN) as well as the Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (FVPMAN).

Other associations to be represented on the Committee are Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP), Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Screen Writers Guild of Nigeria, Actors Guild of Nigeria, Movie Ambassadors of Nigeria, Niger Delta Film Forum and Female Producers of Nigeria.

Tony Anih of the Film Makers Collective will serve as the Secretary to the Committee

When established, MOPPICON will regulate, administer and control the motion picture practice in Nigeria.

The Minister had announced the plan to set up the Committee at the 2016 Kannywood Awards in Abuja on March 13th.

U.N. Sets Up Inquiry Into South Sudan Human Rights Violations

The United Nations Human Rights Council decided on Wednesday to set up a three-person commission to investigate the human rights abuses in South Sudan, making a last minute amendment to a resolution to significantly bolster scrutiny of the country.
The Council had been considering mandating a single expert, a proposal initiated by the United States and Albania. But after an oral amendment, it agreed by consensus to set up the commission, with a renewable one-year mandate.

South Sudan said it would cooperate with the commission, which is charged with looking gang rapes, destruction of villages and attacks on civilians that may constitute war crime

Nigeria: Marketers sell kerosene at N120

Marketers are selling Household Kerosene (HHK) above the approved price of N84.17 per litre, investigation has revealed.

They sell the product for between N115 and N120 per litre.

According to the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency’s (PPPRA) pricing template of March 17, the expected open market price (OMP) of kerosene is N84.17 per litre.

However, marketers, mainly independents, sell the product well above the approved price of N84.17 per litre. In many retail outlets in Lagos, The Nation discovered that consumers buy kerosene at N120 per litre.

Buhari: Why I travel a lot

Perturbed by scathing criticisms that have trailed his many foreign trips since assuming office on May 29, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari has defended his trips, saying they were imperative to present Nigeria’s case on personal basis to her economic colleagues and neighbours.

 

Buhari, who spoke on Thursday, at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, said: “For globetrotting, sometimes, you need to present your case on personal basis to your economic colleagues and neighbours.

“Nothing is better than personal touch and I believe that we are learning a lot and eventually, the nation will realize so.”

The President who expressed sympathy to members of his party over their plights in convincing their constituents on what the administration has been doing over the last 10 months said: “I don’t envy you on the harassment you are going through from your constituencies. Take it with a lot of determination and we will be all right, God willing.”

Chelsea congratulates new Super Eagles’ captain, Mikel

Chelsea Football Club, has congratulated the new skipper of the Super Eagles, John Mikel Obi.

Mikel was named as the captain  at a media conference ahead of two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt.

The Nigeria international was widely tipped to take over from Vincent Enyeama who quit the national team following fallout with former Super Eagles’ coach Sunday Oliseh, but Ahmed Musa was handed the armband instead.
 
   

Chelsea posted a congratulatory message on its Twitter handle, while a news story was published on the club website to celebrate the ‘elegant enforcer’.

The story on the website reads

‘John Mikel Obi has been named as the new captain of the Nigeria national side.

The news was announced at a media conference ahead of two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Egypt, with the Chelsea midfielder taking over the captaincy from CSKA Moscow’s Ahmed Musa as new coach Samson Siasia wishes the role to be taken by the longest-serving player.

Twenty-eight-year-old Mikel has 72 caps for Nigeria and will also receive a special award after Friday’s game to honour him being the current national squad member with the most appearances.

He was a key member of the side that won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations’.

Top 6 quotes from Buhari’s speech on Nigeria’s challenges

We have carefully highlighted some of the quotable quotes we find relative to Nigerians from President Muhammadu Buhari’s remarks at the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which held at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, March 24, 2016…Enjoy it!

1.

What I want Nigerians to remember me for, even if I have to leave the Presidency tomorrow is that I respect them

Of course the leadership of INEC has been changed, but I appeal to the leadership of the military, security agents and INEC that what I want Nigerians to remember me for, even if I have to leave the Presidency tomorrow is that I respect them. I want all Nigerians to believe and hold their PVC as personal entitlement as Nigerians and use it the way the like, and vote for whoever they like at which ever election.

2.

Three fundamental things facing us(Nigeria). First is security; second, economy and unemployment and thirdly, corruption.

We are members of the legacy party, plus APGA and DPP. We realized since 2005 that to remove the PDP from power, we must sink our differences, come together and form a party. God willing, that eventually happened and that is why we are where we are today, coming together inspite of our differences, both personal and ideological. We must not forget that.

Having identified that as members of the legacy party, we again identified three fundamental things facing us. First, security, second, economy and unemployment and thirdly, corruption. We campaigned throughout the country on these three fundamental issues and nobody successfully challenged us and these issues remained relevant.

3.

Kogi, Bayelsa, Rivers elections: At this stage of our political development, to remain brutal is shameful

I am afraid I did not succeed in the election in Kogi, Bayelsa, Rivers. I think that more Nigerians are killed or killed themselves in Rivers than in any particular state. At this stage of our political development, to remain brutal is shameful and as a government, I promise we will do something by the next general election.

4.

Crude oil: If anybody told you that he knows how much of crude exchanges hands either on the high sea or reaching their destination and the accounts the money goes into, that person is not telling you the truth.

We have tried to make sure that NNPC is reorganized, so that we know how much of our crude is taken, how much it is sold and to which account the money is going. But I tell you that up to the time we came, if anybody told you that he knows how much of crude exchanges hands either on the high sea or reaching their destination and the accounts the money goes into, that person is not telling you the truth. We are getting the cooperation of countries that has received this crude. But we have to be sure of the facts in our hands before we start prosecution so that Nigerians will believe what we have been telling them.

5.
On Travelling: For globetrotting, sometimes, you need to present your case on personal basis to your economic colleagues and neighbors.
For globetrotting, sometimes, you need to present your case on personal basis to your economic colleagues and neighbors. Nothing is better than personal touch and I believe that we are learning a lot and eventually, the nation will realize so, I don’t envy you on the harassment you are going through from your constituencies. Take it with a lot of determination and we will be all right, God willing.

6.
Economy: On the economy, the fall of oil prices after Nigeria has made itself a mono economy is a disaster.
I wonder why people could not believe that in Nigeria, about 27 out of 36 states have difficulty in paying basic salaries of their workers. If from 1999 to at least 2003, oil is above 100 dollars per barrel and an export of about 2 million barrel per day, how come Nigeria failed to make some arrangement to cushion the effect of a probably volatile oil market?
Again, it shows failure of the last administration. But we are now to pick the pieces as an APC government and so, there is no need complaining, but let us concentrate and see how much we can do with whatever remains of the economy.

We realized that agriculture and solid minerals are two areas that can quickly come to help us to recover economically, at least in terms of employment and feeding ourselves and more importantly, saving the hard currency to make sure that what is left our industries remain open, employing Nigerians and producing goods and services which is very important.

Ambode commissions electrification project for 67 communities

Reaffirms Commitment To Welfare Of Lagosians

After over five years of being in total darkness, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday c fored an electrification project connecting 67 communities in Ibeju-Lekki area of the state to the national grid.
 

Governor Ambode, who commissioned the project amidst fanfare form joyous residents, also announced the readiness of the state government to pay the electricity bill of residents until the installation of meters in all homes in the affected communities.

The Governor said the project was another success story of the Light Up Lagos Project, an initiative of his administration.

The Light Up Lagos Project, which is a key programme of the Ambode administration, was built on a tripod which included Community Electrification, Street Lightening and   Power Advisory Committee made up of key stakeholders from the public and private sector.

The Advisory Committee which was set up in December 2015 by Governor Ambode is being chaired by the state Deputy Governor, Dr (Mrs.) Idiat Oluranti Adebule and its major role

is to develop a roadmap to provide sustainable power supply to homes and businesses in Lagos  in the medium to long term.

Speaking at the commissioning, a visibly elated Governor Ambode recalled that the attention of his administration was drawn to the plight of residents of Ibeju Lekki, Ise and Ode-Omi comprising 67 communities in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government and Lekki Local Council Development Area (LCDA) some few months back to the fact that the communities have been without electricity for over five years.

The Governor said: “After a due assessment of the situation, we commenced work last year October and we promised to ensure that these 68 communities are connected to the national grid.

“Today, we are delighted to say that these communities have been connected to the national grid.

“To make this project a reality, 33kv dedicated high-tension lines were laid from Ajah sub-station to Eleko junction and from there spread to 68 communities a high tension network covering 131.5 kilometers was rehabilitated and 86 transformers were installed at a total cost of N600million.

“Beyond fulfilling our promise to these 68 communities, we have also demonstrated our commitment to run an all-inclusive government which no one will be left behind.

“It is expected that the commissioning of this project will boost the socio-economic activities in this area after having suffered untold setback for over five years,” Governor Ambode said.

The Governor, who said he was fully aware that lack of access to electricity was not peculiar to the said 67 communities alone, disclosed that the State Government, through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, was currently attending to similar challenge involving 34 communities in Badagry.

He said before September of 2016, the communities would be connected to the national grid.

“As we do this, we shall continue with the street lightening of the Light Up Lagos Initiative. The vision is to ensure that we light up all major roads and border towns in the state,” the Governor said.

Besides, Governor Ambode commended officials of the State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Light Up Lagos Power Advisory Committee and management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company for working tirelessly for the completion of the project.

He also reaffirmed the full commitment of his administration to the wellbeing of all Lagosians irrespective of their locations within the boundaries of the state.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Wale Oluwo, recalled that after residents of the 67 communities complained about their plight, Governor Ambode issued a directive for investigation, and that the result revealed that the Sub-station supplying electricity to the communities was vandalised which resulted in the power outage for about five years, until the intervention of the state government.

Oluwo said the state government was seriously committed to the sustainability of the Light Up Lagos Project and urged residents to take ownership of the electrification project and imbibe the culture of prompt payment of their electricity tariffs.

He said the next phase of the Light Up Lagos Project is to take electricity to public institutions such as water corporations, schools, hospitals among others.

Responding on behalf of the residents, Dr. Tola Kasali, one of the community leaders, said the commissioning of the project confirmed Governor Ambode’s love and readiness to address the plight of the people.

“This is a typical example of a Governor that listens; this is a typical example of a Governor that cares; this is a typical example of a Governor that reacts to the needs of the people,” Kasali said.

Also, a representative of Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOS), Engr Charles Momoh, said the commissioning was an eloquent confirmation of walking the talk, and expressed the readiness of DISCOS to partner with the state government and make the Governor’s dream of lighting up every part of Lagos a reality.

Lassa fever claims 14 lives in Taraba

Lassa fever has claimed 14 lives in Taraba from January to date, an official has said.

Dr Aisha Sani, the Chairperson, Lassa Fever Committee in the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jalingo, confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Jalingo.
According to her, of the 49 suspected cases of the disease reported in the hospital, 21 persons were treated and discharged.

However, she disclosed that seven suspected Lassa fever patients on admission in the hospital had fled the facility.
“Seven persons had absconded. We are making frantic efforts to arrest and bring them back to the hospital before they infect others with the disease.
“We have our internal securities here, but the truth is that we need more to secure the Lassa fever unit,” Sani said.

The doctor said laboratory test had so far confirmed four cases of the disease, while four suspected cases were referred to the Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, Irrua, Edo.
“The four patients had already developed kidney failure and you know we don’t have dialysis section here.
“Let me use this medium to appeal to the Federal Government to provide a dialysis unit in this hospital so that we can save lives,” she said.

Sani said the hospital was currently handling two cases of the disease, adding that the worst affected areas in the state were Jalingo, Ardo-Kola and Bali local government areas.
NAN recalls that the FMC officially confirmed the first death of three persons of Lassa fever disease on Jan. 5.

Bayelsa govt. confirms receipt of N 1.24 bn bailout funds

The Bayelsa Government on Thursday confirmed that it had received N1.24 billion from the Federal Government as bailout fund.
The government said that the money was its of the financial package given to states.

Deputy Governor of the state, Chief John Jonah, disclosed this in Yenagoa during the government’s income and expenditure briefing for January.

He said the fund would be used to clear the backlog of salaries owed workers by the eight local government councils in the state.

Jonah said that the money was ready before the December, 2015 governorship election in the state, but alleged that Federal Government refused to release it.

According to him, the government did not release it because they said that Gov. Seriake Dickson would use it for his re-election bid.

“Yes, the money has been transferred to us now; it was ready before the governorship election and they felt that if the money was given to us, we will use it for election.

“They also felt that even if you pay salaries with it then, it will be a morale booster, so you will gain. So, they stopped it.

“Election is over, so we have to go through the process again and now we have the money”, he said.

Jonah clarified that the bailout was not a gift from the Federal Government, adding that the benefiting councils would pay back according to the proportion they would each receive.

He said that the money was given to Bayelsa based on the requirements of the councils, explaining that it was for this reason all councils would not receive the same amount of money.

“Some councils are owing more than others, so they will get more than what others will get.

“Councils that will get twice more than others will pay back twice more than what others will pay”, he stated.

Council workers in the state are owed between eight and 10 months’ salary.

It would be recalled that in January, 2016, the state government accused the Federal Government of depriving it of the bailout fund.

How the world reacted to the death of Johan Cruyff

Reactions from around the world to the death of Dutch football legend Johan Cruyff, who died on Thursday at the age of 68 from lung cancer:
“We have lost a great man. May we carry on his example of excellence. Johan Cruyff was a great player and coach. He leaves a very important legacy for our family of football.”

– Brazilian legend Pele

“We will never forget you, skinny.”

– Argentine football legend Diego Maradona.

“Another legend has left us.”

– Argentina and Barcelona star, Lionel Messi, on Facebook.

“We will always love you, Johan. Rest in peace.”

– Barcelona, via Twitter, mourn the loss of their former player and coach, who guided the club to a first European Cup title in 1992.

“I’ve lost a friend, the world has lost a great man. I admired him, he was the best player of all time.”

– Former French great Michel Platini led the tributes to Cruyff, who like himself was a three-time winner of the Ballon d’Or award.

“He was one of the greatest footballers I have ever seen, you would put him in the same class as Pele, (Alfredo) di Stefano and (Diego) Maradona. The kind of football he played changed the game and still has an impact today.”

– England hero Bobby Charlton remembered Cruyff as one of the finest players to grace the pitch.

“I am shocked. Johan Cruyff is dead. He was not only a very good friend, but also a brother to me.”

– Franz Beckenbauer, who captained Germany to a 2-1 victory over Cruyff and Netherlands in the 1974 World Cup final, wrote on Twitter.

“A sad day. A legend and key person for Barca and football departs. My deepest condolences to the family.”

– Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta, a product of the world renowned La Masia academy that was the brainchild of Cruyff.

“Johan Cruyff gave football a unique touch that some try to copy. I’m very moved. He was an extraordinary personality who, along with Rinus Michels, kicked off total football.”

– Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

“Deeply saddened at the death of my best coach and good friend. Thanks for everything. Forever in our heart.”

– Ex-Dutch international Ronald Koeman, who scored Barcelona’s winning goal in the 1992 European Cup final.

“Goodbye to one of the legends of the history of football.”

– Real Madrid and Spain defender Sergio Ramos.

“My first coach overseas, one of the best coaches I ever had. A very important man in my career. We had a great loss”

– Former Barcelona and Portugal star Luis Figo.

“As a player, as a coach, you changed the history of our club. Thank you, Johan.”

– Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

“He enriched football and gave it a new face. He was a Dutch icon. Johan Cruyff belonged to all of us.”

– King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

“Very very saddened by the demise of @JohanCruyff RIP Sir. Football has truly lost a jewel. My thoughts and prayers with his family.”

– India cricket star Virat Kohli on Twitter.

“I don’t have the words to describe the pain I am feeling. MY COACH, my friend. Rest in peace, my friend. Thanks for everything. You will always by at my side.”

– Former Bulgarian and Barcelona star Hristo Stoitchkov on Instagram.

“Thank you for all you gave to football, to Ajax and to Barca.”

– Current Barcelona and former Ajax striker Luis Suarez on Twitter from Brazil where he was preparing for his international return Friday for Uruguay.

“We’ve lost our best-ever footballer, our Number 14, our greatest football friend.”

– Royal Dutch Football Federation chairman Michael van Praag.

“World football is sad today after the death of Johan Cruyff. He left an indelible imprint on the game.”

– France coach Didier Deschamps whose side face the Netherlands in a friendly in Amsterdam on Friday.

“Johan Cruyff was the greatest European player in history. He and Bobby Charlton impressed me most in my career. They were inventive and leaders on the pitch. Cruyff had great charisma and speed.”

– Former Real Madrid and England coach Fabio Capello.

“A genius has left us and when a genius leaves us we are left with a feeling of emptiness.”

– Fernando Santos, coach of the Portugal national team.

Adam Johnson gets six-year jail term for under-age sex

Former England footballer Adam Johnson was sentenced to six years in prison at Bradford Crown Court on Thursday after being found guilty of sexual activity with a 15-year-old fan.
Johnson, once a winger with Sunderland and Manchester City, was found guilty following an incident in his Range Rover car in County Durham, north-east England, last year.

The 28-year-old had also pleaded guilty to another count of sexual activity with a child and one count of grooming a child.

Judge Jonathan Rose, passing sentence, said the victim — who cannot be named for legal reasons — had been a Sunderland fan who would wait after matches to take pictures of her “favourite player”, Johnson, who had known her age.

“That was known to you — to put it another way she had only just turned 15 when you began grooming her, because as you were to admit you found her sexually attractive,” said the judge.

Judge Rose said that the offences happened “at a time when you were engaged in frequent sexual intercourse with multiple partners”.

“You made a deliberate decision to engage in sexual activity with this young girl, no doubt in the expectation that you would get away with it.”

Johnson was found guilty on March 2 before being granted bail ahead of Thursday’s sentencing.

He was sacked by struggling Premier League side Sunderland last month as the north-east club terminated his £60,000 ($84,675, 75,909 euros) per week contract and Judge Rose said: “Your future as a professional footballer must be in doubt.”
He told Johnson he had “every opportunity” to enter guilty pleas to the charges he eventually admitted and that by not doing so his victim had been subjected to a year of being called a liar, including chants by fans.

“She speaks of entering many dark places in that year and said she had suffered bullying and stress and had underachieved at school as a result of the case,” the judge said.

Judge Rose also ordered Johnson to pay £50,000 of the prosecution’s £67,132 costs.

Dr Philip Hopley, a consultant psychiatrist giving evidence for the defence, had previously told the court: “This is a man who, at the age of 28, is socially and psychologically immature.”

He added that he had found no evidence in Johnson of an attraction to pre-pubescent children or “sexual perversion”.

Earlier on Thursday, Johnson‘s sister did not accompany him into court but stressed she was still “100 percent behind him”.

In a Facebook post, Faye Johnson said she had stayed away from court because “Adam has always been my hero, my brother and my best friend, I just don’t want him to see the pain in my eyes!”

But Gerry Wareham, the chief prosecutor for England’s north-east region, insisted any sympathy regarding a football career cut short was misplaced.

“Adam Johnson exploited a young star-struck fan, actively grooming her over a number of months in single-minded pursuit of his own sexual gratification,” Wareham said in a statement.

“We should all be clear that there is only one victim in this case, the fifteen-year-old girl he sexually assaulted.

The fall-out from the case saw Sunderland chief executive Margaret Byrne resign on March 8.

Byrne said she had made “a serious mistake” in being party to the decision to letJohnson play on for the club for nearly a year despite knowing he had admitted to kissing a 15-year-old girl.

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